Healing Our Destructive Addiction to Innovation
Why innovation is really a dirty, four-letter word.
I just finished reading a story about a new biotech patent that wants to combine cannabis with psychedelic mushrooms. (I refer to them as ‘canna-shrooms’ below but please know that’s not their technical name).
My first thought after reading the article was — really? It is 2021. Why are we spending our human brainpower, precious planetary resources, time, and money on answering this question: How can we mix together two things that are already very possible to combine in their natural state?
This was the last straw for me. I’ve been wanting to write about something that’s been plaguing me for months now. And that article tipped me over the edge.
What I have to say may not hit home for you. However, it is important to me — so I kindly ask that you please try to listen. (Dialogue is always welcome in the comments, of course.)
Can vs. Should and Need vs. Want
Ready? Here goes.
Just because humans can do something doesn’t mean we should.
Let me say that in a slightly different way.
Just because humans are creative and can innovate new products and technologies doesn’t mean we should innovate them.
I’ll leave you with that for a moment. Perhaps shocking, I know. Let it sink in.
What I am describing is a world where humans step out of the “because I can” mentality: where we stop excessively innovating under the guise that we can therefore we need to — because that’s not usually true. The more correct statement that usually precedes many innovations is actually “I can therefore I want to”… but needing and wanting are two distinct realms.
For example, I need to eat food to survive. But under very few circumstances would I need to eat a jelly donut to survive — I want to, though.
More relevant to climate change and our survival, we need to figure out widespread clean energy solutions and ways to eliminate carbon. We don’t need to make a canna-shroom for our survival. We sure as hell want to, though.
I’m envisioning this different mentality where people will create and innovate when they need to and will do so out of choice for the greater good — with consciousness and intention. I envision humans who do not have to or want to innovate when it is unnecessary. And people who don’t glorify innovation as the cure for all economic, medical, and planetary woes.
(Meaning, no canna-shrooms. Just because you might be able to combine those two… doesn’t mean you should. At least, not right now. Delay the gratification of needing to see if you can do something that unnecessary while we sort out monumental issues — including how we’re going to survive climate change.)
Breaking Our Addiction to Innovation
Modern societies worldwide believe that the only way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into is through innovation. It’s as if we’re addicted to it.
But — didn’t innovation get us into this mess?
Humans lived in relative carbon harmony with the planet for thousands of years. Sure, there were plenty of other issues. Of course, there were many hardships. But then came the innovations of the last few centuries. They were great — until they weren’t.
Never before in human history have we faced the possibility of mass extinction of our species… from our own actions.
So maybe, just maybe, what we name our current savior — innovation — is actually part of the problem. Let me give you an example.
Recall in your memory banks all the stories from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic last March/April. Does lockdown ring a bell? I am sure you heard the stories, right?
- Clear, unpolluted skies over major world cities
- In India, the Ganga River ran cleaner than anyone had seen in decades
- Animals roamed city streets as they came out from the wild to investigate
Environmental activist Vimlendu Jha subtly hinted at the importance of these dramatic planetary improvements when speaking of India’s cleaner air and water:
‘How was a lockdown for just a few weeks able to achieve what governments could not for decades?’ said Jha. (marketwatch.com)
Great question! Here’s my thought.
People don’t want to admit what I’m about to say because humans overall have a super solid ego problem complete with a species-superiority complex. I’ll go ahead with the anger-inducing truth anyway:
I bet it’s because humans were too busy trying to innovate for those decades. They were probably too busy making policies, doing studies, setting up thinktanks, and fiddling around in labs trying to innovate the perfect solution — a solution that never materialized.
Turns out, innovation wasn’t needed. It was actually the opposite — stopping innovation and staying home— that did what humans couldn’t do for decades. It was, well, doing absolutely nothing that made the biggest impact.
One reason for this? Innovation is commonly a terrible energy consumer and massive waste generator. It consumes all kinds of energy: money, time, brainpower, electric power, carbon power to create products with short lifespans and awful by-products or half-assed solutions that don’t get the job fully done. Oh, and innovation is usually tied into the economy. That typically means — profit over the planet.
Questions to be Asked In Innovation Ethics
I hope I don’t come off as a mean dictator lady who thinks we should take away all innovation. I’m not completely off my rocker. I know how amazing technology is for much of daily life. Also, I am incredibly grateful for innovations in healthcare.
I’m simply pointing out that — there’s too much of it. And it has consequences. A lot of it is wasteful, harming people and the planet. Not all innovation is beneficial and positive. But it should be. It’s 2021. We are living through major ecological crises and we need (yes, need!) to act like it.
The time for curious innovation is over. If it’s not directly helping one of the many major serious problems on the planet, then it shouldn’t be happening. We can be more conscious of our thoughts, behaviors, and actions — so let’s do it!
Even when it comes to our dearly beloved — innovation.
Rather than eliminate it for good, I feel there should be less of it and there should be a huge push for serious ethics in innovation. Questions should be publicly discussed before a person chooses to go through with their new innovative idea — things like:
- Does this contribute to helping the world or does it have the potential for abuse/excessive harm?
- Why am I doing this? Is this purely for personal gain, money, popularity, or my ego? Or am I doing this to also benefit others?
- Is there a better way I could be using my energy, time, and brainpower?
- Is my innovation really solving a pressing issue of my time?
- Based on historical research, what are the likely outcomes of producing this product?
- Imagine 10 years into the future — what might be the eventual ramifications of this innovation? Are they positive, negative, and/or neutral? Do I predict this will still be around/be relevant?
- What do other people from a variety of communities and countries think of my innovation? Do they respect it? Do they think it is valuable or useful?
- What is the expected longevity of this innovation and is the energy worth it?
- What’s the estimated environmental impact of this innovation?
Please, by all means, continue to dream, vision, and innovate products or technologies in your mind. Even in your garage. But before you take that vision and create it into a massive national or global reality — do some serious questioning. Dig deep. Ask important questions. Be mindful of the future of your innovation. And be honest about why you’re doing it.
Remember, we are entrusted to protect this beautiful planet that gives us life. Hopefully, by taking drastic new steps, we can restore ecological balance while ensuring human survival.
Thanks for hearing me out. I appreciate you taking the time to read my words. Stay tuned for my next installment that builds on this concept with my working title “Switching From Innovative Culture to Creativity Culture”. You can also connect with me on my free Earth Lovers newsletter for a space to be in reverence of our planet and our place in the universe.
